The City Plan Part One was adopted in March this year and sets out a vision for the development and growth of Brighton and Hove to the year 2030. It identifies the broad locations for development and employment; outlines policies that will guide decisions on planning applications and lists the infrastructure that will be required.

The City Plan Part Two which is now subject to public consultation will contain the remaining development sites and detailed planning policies. There are thirteen topic papers but the two which will mostly affect the character of the West Hill conservation area are the Design Paper and the Heritage Paper.

Many policy documents already exist under the previous City Plan covering many topics such as extensions and alterations, satellite dishes, advertisement hoardings and many others, but the consultation apparently offers an opportunity to improve such policies. Much, of course, depends on whether policies are properly implemented. The City Plan already promised, for example, “to reduce the clutter of street furniture and signage” and to provide “high quality, robust and sustainable material for all elements of the street scene” and yet the present reality is ugly galvanised security bars for motor bikes competing for space on patched up pavements with  broken recycling bin stanchions.

Meanwhile, the Seven Dials Roundabout kerbstones are again breaking up; perhaps we should not expect any quality for a mere £900k. The consultation period ends on the 22nd September and full details can be seen on the Council’s website.

Jim Gowans